Enchilada Casserole-Posted by Natalie

This is another one I got from Mom when I was first married. She doesn't remember : ) Aaron loved it!!! If he had his way, we would eat some type of enchilada dish every day! Really easy and really good!

6 oz. tortilla chips or Fritos ( I used corn tortilla chips)
1 1b. ground beef
1 yellow onion
1 can chili with beans-15 oz
1 can enchilada sauce-15 oz
1 can tomato sauce-8 oz
1 C. sour cream
Cheddar cheese

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375'. Brown ground beef. Season meat to taste. (pepper, garlic powder)
• Add diced onion to meat. Cook until heated through.
• Crush 1/4 C. tortilla chips and reserve for the top.
• In a med. bowl, combine remaining tortilla chips, chili, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce. Add in meat-onion mixture to sauces. Pour into greased 9x13" baking dish.
  
• Bake for 20 mins, until heated through.
• Remove from oven and spread sour cream on top. Sprinkle reserved crushed chips and shredded cheese on top.
  
• Return to oven and cook until cheese is melted.
  

Tres Leches Cake (Three Milks Cake)

This is the cake Joseph and I get every year on our aniversary, so it's really special for us. The little place we used to go for it, closed last year, so I had to learn how to make it. It was easier than I thought.

CAKE
4 eggs
1 t baking powder
1 C sugar
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 C soft butter

SYRUP:
2 C milk
1, 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1. 12 oz can evaporated milk

Directions
CAKE:
Cream butter and sugar till fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla to this. Sift together flour and baking powder and add to cream mixutre in quarter cup intervals, making sure each additon is blended before adding the next. Pour the batter into a greased/floured 9x13 pan and bake at 350F for 20-30 mins or till a tootpick comes out clean when inserted. (I find that 20 mins is usually when it's done)
Allow the cake to cool

SYRUP:
Combine, the three milks and blend together. Prick the top of the cooled cake with a fork and pour the milk mixure over the cake -- slowly so the liquid can absorb into the cake. Place in the fridge and allow at least an hour for the milk to absorb into the cake before serving. Serve with whipped cream and berries.

NOTE: You can also make the recipe with white cake mix from the box. Follow the package directions for the cake, and then pick this recipe up for the syrup part...

Easy Turkey Tacos

I hate the taco season mix they sell in the store, so I made my own up. Actually, my Aunt Jeanne figrued this one out, and it's been a family favorite for years! This makes a great dish, and great leftovers!

1 lb ground turkey
1 med onion, chopped
1 green or red bell peppper, seeded and chopped
2-3 cloved minced garlic
1 can black beans
1 small can green chili
1-2 t red chili flakes (adust to your heat level)
1 chicken bullion cube
1 T ground cumin
2 T flour
1/2 C water

Directions
Brown onion, garlic and bell peppers on the stove top. When the onions are translucent add the ground turkey. Cook till the turkey is browned. Drain and rise the black beans and add these along with the green chili and red chili flakes to the meat and onions. Add water and the bullion cube. Make sure the bullion cube is completely dissolved. Add the cumin and stir everything together. Right before serving add the flour to thicken up the mixture. Cook for 1-2 mins more and serve.
This is great the next day as leftovers and goes great in tortillias, hard shells or over rice or potatoes. I also serve it with cheese, salsa, sour cream and lettuce and tomatoe.

Green Chicken (Chicken Verde)

I was feeling rather "food-networky" one day and invented this one...if you have every been to New Mexico you will know the answer to the question "Red, Green or Christmas?" The answer of course refers to the kind of chili you want with you meal. I am a green chili gal.

2 lbs, boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 med onion chopped
6 frozen cilantro cubes (I get a brand called Dorot found in the Trader Joes freezer section) if you do not have frozen use appx 6-7 t fresh.
4 cloves minced garlic (again, I use the Dorot frozen cubes, it makes it very easy, if you can find them use them!)
8 oz green chili
2 med green bell peppers, seeded and cut into bite sized peices
1 jar Salsa Verde (can be found with all the other salsas, I use La Victoria)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Start off by sauteeing the onion, garlic and cilantro in a bit of oil for about 5 mins. I do this in my stock pot, so as to give everything enough room to cook.
Leave the chicken whole and add to the onions etc. Cover and allow to cook until the chicken is cooked all the way thru (at least 30 mins). When the chicken is done, remove it from the pot and allow to rest for about 15 mins. While the chicken rests, add the bell peppers, green chili and salsa to the onion/garlic/cilantro mixture. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it and throw back into the pot and cook for an additional 10 mins.

Slow Cooker Directions:
Start the chicken, onions, garlic and cilantro together on low for at least 3 hours. Add the green chili, salsa and bell pepper and cook for another 1-2 hours on low before serving. About 30 mins before service, take the chicken out and shread it and add it back into the salsa etc, making sure that all is evenly coated and heated thru.

Serve with tortillias, cheese and beans. This also is great the next day for leftovers!

Cafe Rio Rice - posted by Melissa

My good friend, Chris, sent me these recipes awhile ago in an email...This rice tastes just like the REAL thing and is a hit with my family!

3 c. water
4 tsp. powdered chicken bullion
4 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chiles (optional)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 TB. butter
1/2 onion
3 c. rice

Blend cilantro, green chiles, and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients. Cover and simmer until rice is done.